Child Chat

By Barbara Gaines and Tina Fiorella

Q. I am part of a baby group and my one year old is the only baby without teeth. I feel foolish asking the doctor but I have to admit to being a bit concerned. Is this a problem? Should I be concerned?

A. There are two things to address here – first of all the teeth. There is no need to concern yourself about the fact that your child is a late teether. Teething is hereditary, so if you ask your parents or in-laws, I bet you will find that either you or your husband were also late teethers. By the time your child is a year and a half, I am confident he will have a few teeth to add to that smile. I am more concerned about your statement, “I feel foolish asking the doctor.” You have engaged this person to help you care for your child. You need to realize that there are no stupid questions when it comes to the well being of your child. Your pediatrician can only help you if you allow him/her to do so. Please feel free to call your child’s doctor in the future should you have any questions or concerns.

Q. I am breast feeding my baby and she has developed a blister in the middle of her upper lip. Am I doing something wrong as far as positioning her? Is this normal?

A. “Nursing blisters,” as they are called, can be found on both bottle and breast-fed babies and are perfectly normal as well as harmless. The cause for these blisters is vigorous sucking on the part of the baby and the blisters are said to cause no discomfort.

Q. My husband says he feel s excluded from our new baby because I am breast feeding. What can I do?

A. Realize that your husband wants to be a part of this child’s life and sees the close bond you and your baby have. Assure him of how important he is to the baby and try to include him in other parts of the baby’s day. Have your husband get the baby and bring him/her to you for the feedings. Ask him to change the baby and bathe the baby and see if that helps. It is also important to recognize that your husband has a valid point so try to see things from his perspective. There is nothing as frustrating as wanting to comfort your newborn child and not being able to. There is no way for your husband to feed his baby at this point. Pumping your milk and having your husband give the baby a bottle is a good way for him to connect and will get the baby used to taking a bottle should you want to go out without the baby later on.

Q. It seems like my baby is always getting a diaper rash. Is there any way to prevent this from happening?

A. Almost all babies will develop some sort of diaper rash before they are toilet trained. The best way to reduce the chance of this happening to your baby is to keep the diaper area as dry as possible as prolonged exposure to dampness quickly irritates the baby’s sensitive skin. Changing the diaper more frequently, as soon as it gets wet, is one of the most effective ways to do this. You can also use products such as petroleum jelly, corn starch or any number of other over-the-counter products to help keep moisture away from the baby’s bottom. Consider letting your baby go without a diaper once in a while to let the skin dry more completely, especially if a rash is particularly raw.

Q. When should I start brushing my baby’s teeth?

A. Oral hygiene can start immediately. Use a washcloth on the baby’s gums after each feeding (breast or bottle). This is a great way to begin dental care before introducing a toothbrush. Once teeth begin to come in, you can continue using the washcloth or start using a soft bristle toothbrush. Talk to your pediatrician or dentist about when your child should begin dental checkups.

Tip

Save yourself some time, energy, and money. Instead of buying a new set of “character” sheets every time your child has a new favorite character, invest in solid color sheets and just buy the “character” pillowcase. This way the bed can be changed quickly and easily but remain coordinated with the rest of your décor.

Barbara Gaines has a degree in early childhood development and has been a leader of the post partum support group at Danbury Hospital. She and her husband, Richard, live in Sandy Hook. Tina Fiorella lives in Bethel with her husband, John, and their two young boys. After putting her degree in psychology to work for several years in the mental health field, she now is a stay-at-home mom.